


Sunrise

by Paintitblue



Category: Shingeki no Kyojin | Attack on Titan
Genre: Alternate Universe - High School, Coming of Age, Gen, Underage Drinking
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-19
Updated: 2014-01-21
Packaged: 2018-01-09 06:59:53
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 3
Words: 4,220
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1142924
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Paintitblue/pseuds/Paintitblue
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Bertold, Reiner, and Annie take a 10 hour trip to the Interstate just to get away from life. Each of them have a story to tell to each other, all due to too many cans of beer. One releases all her emotions that have been locked in for too long. One confesses of something that was never expected of him. One tells of why he has kept his tongue in his mouth and his lips shut tight. Slight bit of BertxAnnie and BertxReiner.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter 1

_Son, this is code 2-O-4-4 black hawk. This is not a drill, I repeat._

I stared at the Facebook message. Did Reiner get hacked by the CIA again?

 _Is this the CIA?_ I typed.

A few seconds later I heard a POP.

It read, _No, fucktard. I'm serious. We need your car, some Snickers, and two packs of beer. Meet at Maple's in ten minutes._

I had twenty five reasons not to follow Reiner. First, he still believes in Area 50. Second, this was probably had to do something with a girl that he would fail to woo. Third, I never got over the fact that he glued two peanut butter sandwiches to my earmuffs back in fourth grade, which I didn't even know was possible. Four, you get the idea.

_Dude, it's 3 am. What's going on?_

The typing bubble appeared and he entered, _It's Annie. About her dad._

I already had my jacket, wallet, and keys.

 

* * *

 

Let me describe to you our little family. That was how the rest of the kids in Trost High describe our group because we always stuck to each other. I met Reiner when we still wore diapers. We were actually three guys, but Berwick had to move out of town because of his dad. I stuck to Reiner because I didn't have a reason to stick to anyone else. I didn't really like talking to other people. Reiner on the other hand loved to talk to anyone, especially girls. He usually failed in the girl's department because he'd say something insensitive. Everyone loved him, thus everyone was my mutual acquaintance, since Reiner would introduce me to all of his friends. I didn't feel bad about that. I preferred to have a quiet life.

Then we met Annie on the first day of high school. She had the whole Russian secret agent look which scared the hell out of me. She was sitting alone in the cafeteria and I thought she was trying to damn her processed chicken nuggets to hell. Reiner pointed at her direction and decided we were spending lunch together. She said nothing to us for the next three weeks. Then, we softened her up and she would crack a smile, smirk, and ask us if we wanted our mashed potatoes.

Three years later, we've grown close enough to be ridiculed as a family. Of course, that ended up with Jean-what's-his-name's ass being kicked by Annie or Reiner. I considered myself a pacifist. 

 

* * *

 

I drove up to Maple's, the local diner in town. Outside on the bench sat two figures in hoodies and sweatpants. People would mistake Reiner and Annie as drug dealers and me as their client.

I flashed the lights of my car on and off. Ah, yes, very sketchy of me.

Reiner and Annie stood up and walked towards the car. I rolled down the window and asked, "Do you have the drugs?"

Reiner grunted. "Good one. Your jokes are improving."

"Thanks."

Annie sat in the backseat and Reiner sat shotgun. I haven't gotten a glimpse of her face yet. I wondered what kind of shit her dad pulled on her today.

"Drive," she muttered.

"Where to?"

"Just drive."

I inhaled the lemon-scented mist of my car. Don't judge me.

"We have school tomorrow you know," I said as I pressed lightly on the gas pedal.

"So?" they both said in sync.

They were the reason why I tended to cram most of my papers. Reiner would pop out of nowhere, with Annie trailing behind him, saying _Hey! There's a party down the street! Drugs and alcohol! Fuck yeah!_

"Bert, we're seniors. It's cool," Reiner said. I considered that idea. I guess missing, oh maybe, two periods of class wouldn't be such a bad idea. The first two periods tomorrow were German and Health anyway.

Reiner plugged in his iPod to my stereo. "Indie pop, Indie rock, EDM, Indie EDM…?"

"Indie sad," Annie said.

"Death Cab by Cutie it is."

We drove with the acoustic ballad resonating in our ears. Our breaths slowed down and our bodies unconsciously swayed to the heartbroken lyrics. I drove at 60 miles per hour, letting the orange street lights outside streak like someone slid a paintbrush through it. It was Reiner who broke the melancholy silence. It was always Reiner who broke the silence. He popped open a beer can and took the first gulp. He passed it to Annie, who slowly downed the rest of it.

"Annie's dad left her."

I drove at 55 miles per hour.

"What happened?" I addressed this question to Annie, but it was Reiner who answered.

"Annie texted me to get my ass to her house. She couldn't call me because her dad could have heard her. She was asleep when she heard noises outside. He-"

"He was packing," Annie continued. I could barely hear her voice. "He packed his shit and the family gun. No note."

Silence again. I rolled in my mouth the right words to say. She hated being pitied, but that was how she received my sympathy, as pity. I sighed and drove at 50 miles per hour.

"He's a dickhead."

"No shit, Sherlock," Reiner huffed. "If I see that bastard, I'm going to take _my_ family's gun and-"

"No," Annie interrupted. "Don't you dare."

"Annie, what the fuck? He has done worse shit than this! I would say that this was the best thing he did to you in the past three years. Hell, he was kind enough to leave something unbroken this time."

"Take that back!" she kicked his chair. I winced. This was my car but my mother still checks if I smoke weed or have wild sex in it. "You don't know who he is and you don't know all of what he does! You can't pass judgment on him. You think this was the best thing he's done? Shut the fuck up Reiner and think before you open that shit hole of yours."

Reiner balled his fists and relaxed them. Nobody wanted to fight Annie, no matter how hurtful whatever came out of her mouth. I understood her situation. She was hurt. She was emotional. Cut her some slack.

"We're heading for the interstate, guys," I announced.

"Good," Annie said.

I sighed. "No, I don't think I have enough gas for wherever you want to go."

"No, no you don't have enough gas."

* * *

 

We stopped at the nearest gas station, conveniently placed right before entering the interstate. Reiner paid this time. We also bought more beer. Beer that I couldn't drink. Annie stayed in the car and we drove further north.

It was 4:36 am.

"I feel like I'm in a John Green book," Reiner blurted out.

"Who?" I asked.

"This guy I had to read because this girl… what was her name? I forgot. She liked him. And she told me that he'd date a guy who acted like this guy with a really pretentious-ass name. Read the book, I think I cried a bit. Man, I couldn't be that guy. He gets cancer and dies at the end."

"Maybe she was telling you to drop dead?"

Reiner laughed. He had a big hearty laugh, like a bear or a lumberjack. Now that I mentioned it, that was how Reiner looked. Like a big German lumberjack. "Jokes are definitely getting better."

"Beer?" Annie offered me.

"I'm driving."

"One can won't hurt."

 

* * *

 

"I was six when he first punched me. It wasn't out of violence. He used to teach boxing at a gym in the town we used to live in. He told me that boxing was made for apes with reflexes, meaning it was perfect for human beings. He taught me how to dodge and jab and how to do a hook and an uppercut. I missed him and he came in from the left. He jabbed at my ribs. I fell to the ground with the air out of my lungs. He told me to keep my guard up all the time. Just because I missed didn't mean he would stop playing the game. Was that it? A game? Like some sick goal to achieve? Did he want to check off his to-do list "Teach Annie how to kick ass" more than actually watch his daughter go up on stage and perform her first piano recital?"

"You play the piano?" I asked.

"I do the best rendition of Twinkle Twinkle Stars. Anyways, the second time he hit me was when I was twelve. Those were drastic times. He came home drunk, staggering all over the living room, knocking over the photos and whatevers. He punched me in the eye. I wanted to hide. Hide from my own skin and my own blood. When we were evicted of the house we were renting, I was so happy and sad. I was leaving all the happy memories and all the sad ones at the same time. "

She let her last sentence hang in the air like that. Reiner broke the silence.

"Where the hell is Annie and what have you done to her?" Reiner joked. "That was the most you've said to us in three months."

I saw her shrug through the rearview mirror.

"It's the beer. I've had five cans."

"Well, go on so that you can make up for the rest of the three year's we've known each other!"

She finished the rest of her can and began to shift to lying down upon the upholstery. I prayed that she wouldn't barf all over my car. We were driving towards Stohess City now.

"When we moved here, it became worse. He would get home right before I left school. I had to teach myself how to cook. It was terrible. I didn't know how much money we had left. I wanted to take a job in Denny's or Starbuck's or something for crap's sake, but he told me no. He told me, 'His precious daughter shouldn't be working at this age." I wasn't sure if her voice cracked at precious or daughter. "Then he hit me again. And again. I started losing count when was the third and the seventh. I fought back, but it was him who knew all the shit. I couldn't beat him enough without brutally injuring myself. I acted cool about it in school of course. I told you guys when he hit me in the eye again." She rolled on her stomach and looked at the both of us. She had this sleepy look in her eyes.

"I'm glad I met you guys. You hide me. Thank you."

My mouth was slightly open with shock. I think… I could have kissed her right there. Her blue eyes were brighter than they ever were.  I wanted to envelope her in my arms and never let her go. I turned to Reiner who had a huge grin on his face. He patted Annie on the head like a big brother would do to a little sister.

I gave her a reassuring smile and she returned it through the mirror.

It was 5:56 am.


	2. Chapter 2

We stopped somewhere. Yeah, somewhere. I didn't know where the hell I was. We all couldn't get reception. This would have been a perfect time for a serial killer to kill us now. We needed to stop to let my car cool down. It wasn't exactly a piece of shit. It had its times, like now. I mean, I wanted an old car that still functioned for a low price. Thus, I had gotten a third hand El Camino. I saved up the entire school year to get the thing refurnished with new speakers, a stereo, proper upholstery, and cup holders.

We sat on the hot hood of my car, sipping beer and eating Snickers. I absolutely hated the taste of Snickers. I was those types of chocolates that tasted like erasers. Don't ask why I knew how erasers tasted.

"We're going to be watching the sunset," I said.

"Sunrise, you idiot," Reiner corrected. "Man, is the beer getting to your head already? What was that, three cans?"

"Shut up."

He gave me a playful shove. We were both grinning like idiots.

"You two are so gay," Annie commented.

"Yeah, Annie. I'm the biggest homosexual you'll ever meet. I mean, nothing gayer than these guns," he said as he demonstrated to show how big his biceps were.

I nodded. "Never met anyone gayer."

Now, I've known Reiner for a long time. He tensed up when I agreed with him. I saw his mouth form into a thin line. This happened a while ago in the car. Now that I think about it, he would pause just for a while whenever someone else was making a joke on how gay he was. I never pushed him to say anything on the topic.

"Reiner, that was a joke," I said.

There was silence. I could hear my beer froth in its can. I blinked in confusion. Reiner looked like he just lost his tongue.

"Reiner-"

"Hey, I guess it's my turn. Get me some more beer, would you?"

 

* * *

 

"Alright, listen up bitches, Reiner here's gonna give you the story of your life. It was the first of August of 1996, when little baby Reiner came out of his mama's-"

"Cut to the point before I puke all over you," Annie said.

He held his hands up in surrender. "Okay, okay… You all noticed how great I am with the ladies. I love girls, I really do. Tits and pussy and all that stuff. It's just… I guess there are times. Fuck, I guess I started to like guys in my sophomore year. I started looking at them differently. Some of them would do things I'd think, 'Well, that was cute'. Then it snowballed into, 'Well, that was hot.'"

He took a five second break. He looked at both of us to check if we were still with him. I simply blinked at him.

"Then… there was this one guy. I've known him for a while and it just came to me suddenly. Hey, I liked him. I didn't love him or shit like that. I was just really fond of him… I-no, shit, I'm not explaining it right." He put his head in his hands and groaned.

"Reiner, it's okay," I immediately said. "You don't have to-"

"I'm not gay," he mumbled. "I'm both…"

"You're bi, so what?" Annie said. "I kinda had the figured that out a long time ago."

Reiner looked up, "Really?"

No, not really. The thought never entered my mind. He made fun of gay people by impersonating them for comedy, right? That didn't make much sense anymore with what he told us. He could have been acting like himself for every time he joke around. When was Reiner ever gay? I never caught him staring at someone's ass or anything.

"Who's the guy?" I croaked.

"I can't say his name. I… I don't love him or anything, okay? I just feel happier or warmer around him, so don't assume he's the most special snowflake in my life."

I tried to imagine what kind of guy he was into. I prayed to God that it wasn't anyone like Jean Kirchstein or Eren Jaegar. What if the guy was older? Like, even a teacher? Mr. Smith always made the girls swoon, did he make Reiner feel the same?

"Bert, we're losing you. You're not thinking of kicking me out as your best friend, are you?" he joked shakily.

I shook my head. "Of course not." I didn't need to know right now. In fact, I didn't need to know unless he wanted me to know. Reiner liking guys could change him drastically or could barely change him. I've known this guy for years. As strange as it may be, him being homosexual couldn't make much a difference in our friendship.

"Hey, look. Sunrise." Annie raised her finger to the north.

The sky was gradually lighting up. Like it was waking up. The sun blazed and painted an orange circle around it. The empty road on where we stopped was slowly being bathed in light.

We took each other's hands unconsciously. Annie's palm felt so small in mine. Sometimes I forget how fragile she actually was. She loved to put a strong façade for everyone to see, but Reiner and I knew she was something softer inside.

Reiner's hand was rough and bigger than mine. I had to keep in mind that behind the comedy, the muscles, and that plain douchebaggery, was a lost little kid. He looked like he had life figured out but in fact life was just starting for him.

Not a word passed through our lips.

It was 7:00 am.


	3. Chapter 3

We found ourselves eating breakfast at Denny's.

Reiner ordered the plate with the most protein and oil and was attacking it with pure brutality. Annie had black coffee and pancakes. I had a floppy egg sandwich and water. The waitress didn't seem to suspect truancy in the act with us. After all, we all could pass off as eighteen year olds. Reiner and I especially. Both of us were six feet, me being taller, and Reiner was built like a linebacker for a college football team.

We didn't know what to say to each other yet. I figured we said what we all could and should say. I enjoyed the silence between us. I enjoyed the clattering of the silverware against the plates. I even enjoyed Reiner's occasional burp. The background music, Katy Perry, was the only thing I didn't enjoy.

I would sneak a glance at Reiner or Annie. Reiner looked exactly the same to me, except he could burst with happiness. I smiled to myself. I was glad the heavy weight on his shoulders was lifted. No matter how strong he looked, he couldn't carry it by himself. Annie stared outside the booth, towards the open space of America. We were in the next town now. I wondered what she was going to do after this little road trip. How was she going to balance their money? What if she didn't have anymore money? My mother wouldn't be so thrilled at the thought of me hiding a girl under my bed. The thought of Annie bunking with me in my room made my face a little red. I looked away from her and focused on my egg sandwich.

Right now, I would have been sitting in homeroom, absentmindedly drawing stick figures or something on my notebook. I recently read a manga that absolutely blew my mind. The author knew pure cruelty. He ripped out my hear t when this character-

"Hey, Bert," Annie called.

"Yeah?"

"Are you going to have a go?"

"Muh?" I said with a mouthful of egg and bread.

"Yeah, Bert, your time to shine," Reiner injected. "We poured our hearts out a while ago. Only fair if you do the same, right?"

Annie kicked him under the table. Reiner almost chocked on his bacon. Annie didn't face me and turned to the window instead. "You don't have to do anything you don't want to do. It's just that-"

She didn't need to finish her sentence. This was the day where everything that was bothering us in the depths of our guy would come out. We wouldn't speak of what we confessed for a good couple of days, weeks, months. The moment we cross the border of Trost and Stohess, we would submerge ourselves back into our regular lives. However, we each wouldn't be carrying these burdens on our individual shoulders. From now on, we shared the pain and the fear.

"-it would be the best time to say it now."

I nodded. "Yeah, I got something."

* * *

 

Reiner was driving and I rode shotgun. Annie still stayed in the back. My car stank of beer and was dusty as hell from driving with the windows open. I had no intention of going back to school today so I the rest of the day to vacuum it anyways. A CD of Young the Giant was playing in the background.

"I don't really know where to start. You both know my life's pretty uneventful. But, I guess, you would wonder why I'm so quiet when I'm around you guys with other people. Well, I'm quiet in general, it's just I'm quiet-er. It's… Okay, it's not as deep as my parents beating me or that I'm gay. Although…" I sighed, "Yeah, there are times. That would be another story. Anyways, I'm just so insecure around you guys."

"Bert-" Reiner started but was cut by Annie, who kicked the back of his seat. "Sorry," he mumbled.

"S'okay. Um, yeah. You two are so cool. People like you and some look up to you. People just literally look up to me. I'm scared that whenever I open my mouth, the things that come out could never be as funny or cool as whatever you guys say. Annie, you're known as the badass Russian looking girl. And Reiner, you're like a really happy lumberjack that everyone likes."

"Lumberjack?!"

"And me? I'm the tall quiet guy. Reiner's friend. Annie's friend… I wish they'd know me as something more than that. Back in elementary, I would get bullied about my height, like the old, 'How's the weather up there?' jokes but eventually they stopped noticing me. I guess I'm lucky to even have Armin Artlet as a friend outside the three of us. Not that I want anymore friends. You guys are great. I just… it would be nice to be recognized."

I sighed. "You two are not going to push me into everyone so that I could talk to them more, are you?"

"No," Annie replied.

" _Well…_ " Reiner said. Before Annie could kick him again he said, "I'm kidding. Dude, it's okay. I never really thought of you being uncomfortable around us when we're with other people. Yeah, you are really fucking quiet… so maybe, damn, I don't know what to do."

I felt Annie put her hand on my shoulder. "Bert, you'll grow out of this quiet shell of yours. You don't have to figure this out on your own."

I nodded. We were quiet again. My favorite song, "God Made Man" was playing. This wasn't awkward silence between all of us. Very much the opposite.

"And, hey, if you want to talk about the gay thing I got your back. No way am I letting your ass be gay on your own," Reiner suddenly said.

All three of us laughed. Well, Annie smirked and the two of us laughed.

It was 10:12 am.

* * *

 

There would be times where we would bring up things we didn't like about each other. Superficial things. Annie and I agreed that Reiner's habit of eating to much before he drinks should stop because we hated to go home with vomit-stained shoes. Reiner and I talked on how Annie should smile more. We remembered the first time she smiled and we just needed to take a seat and rethink about our lives. They told me I needed to stop hanging out in the library with Armin and get in the sun more often. Then, Annie half-smiled at the idea of Reiner and I joining the Trost Titans, the football team.

"Only when you join the cheerleading squad," I joked. She left the topic be.

We had now entered the city of Trost.

Reiner stopped at my house. I thanked the Lord that my parents were gone. I could tell them that I stayed over at Reiner's because I forgot we had a project to finish and that I went straight to school.

"So…" Reiner said.

"We should do this more often," Annie said.

I nodded, "Definitely."

"Next time, we could go further the Interstate," Annie suggested.

"And eat somewhere that wasn't Denny's. IHOP or at least Starbucks," Reiner said.

"Starbucks, really?" Annie raised an eyebrow.

"What? I like their Green Tea latte."

"Yeah, you definitely are gay."

Reiner laughed and gently pushed her. I smiled at both of them. They both turned their heads at me.

"Alright, time to say thank you to Uncle Bertold for letting us use his car," Reiner said. He leaned in and hugged me, like a bear suffocating its cub. He was relatively affectionate, so this didn't faze me at all after he confessed he was bi.

Annie swooped in from the back and pecked my cheek. I blinked a few times.

Reiner and I stared at her in shock. I could feel my face burning.

"What?" she asked.

"You never… you don't even hug us…" Reiner said in awe. I was too shocked to say anything.

She shrugged and looked away, "I'm going to start now."

"Then where's my kiss?" Reiner complained.

"I'm sure you'd like a kiss from Bert even more."

He grinned. "Yeah, sure. Go make fun of the bisexual. But at least I'm not the only one in here," and he threw his arm over my shoulders and grinned even more.

I checked the clock. It was twelve noon. We were gone for almost ten hours. We got out of the car and headed towards my house. We all fell asleep in my room ten minutes later.

**Author's Note:**

> First SNK fic. I saw this post on tumblr saying there should be more AUs of stuff. There was a 10 hour road trip and I thought, hey why not? And yes, I love Bertold. Berthold. Bertholdt. Who the fuck knows how to spell his name.


End file.
